You Came Back
by smile-lifegoeson
Summary: Spoilers for season 7. Months after the Paladins return to Earth, a rescue mission is in the works for the remaining Galra prisoners. Keith decides to take matters into his own hands, even at the cost of his own life, again. Allura tries to stop him from going, but tensions between the two are high. Words sting more than they realize, and hopefully it won't be the last they say.


Hey! So Voltron is awesome. And so is Kallura. I had to, ya know?

Sorry I've been MIA for like over a year.. maybe one day I'll finish all my fics.

If you have not seen all the way to the end of VLD Season 7, read at your own risk.

 _Voltron Legendary Defender_ and it's characters do not belong to me.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait… So all those dots are people still trapped?"

"Yes. We were able to pin point their locations by dropping sensors every couple miles," Pidge explained, "we plan on doing this with all the cities where the Galra made work camps."

Hunk sighed, he remembered the pain of having his family trapped. He was beyond grateful they were safe now, but knowing that there were some still trapped… still waiting for help.. they had to do something.

"That's awful," Lance added, his heart hung as heavy as Hunk's.

"The Garrison are preparing to send a rescue team out in a few days," Voltron's brainiac left the map on the screen but began to leave the room, "hopefully it'll be successful, and we can hit multiple cities at once."

"Where are you going?" Lance reached out to her. Suddenly not wanting to be without the people he cared for the most. He used to think it was only his family. But now, Voltron was his family. He didn't want them far from him anymore.

"Family dinner," the Green Paladin smirked, "Mom was able to find enough ingredients to make a home cooked meal. Its just gonna be me, Dad, Matt, and Bae Bae."

"Oooooh, jealous," Hunk groaned, followed by the sound of his stomach growling.

"Yep. See ya, Paladudes."

Lance smiled as he watched her practically skip out of the room. A few years ago he never would imagined Pidge capable of skipping. He was happy she was finally happy and was able to have some quality family time.

"That looks to be only around 100 people, 150 max."

"GAH!" Hunk jumped out of his seat when he heard the team leader speak, "I forgot you were in here!"

Keith had been sitting there listening to Pidge the whole time, his training with the Blade giving him some extra pointers to stay invisible until needed.

Lance was spooked too, but he didn't want Keith of all people to know that, "Yeah. Give or take some. Why?"

Keith stood and walked to the computer, never taking his eyes off the little red dots, "The Garrison are too busy trying to help the people of Earth rebuild civilization. Separating their forces for something like this is a bad move."

Hunk and Lance eyed one another. Both recalling how… wild… Keith's ideas could be.

"So…." Hunk started.

"You're not _actually_ suggesting we just leave them, are you?" Lance glared at the mullet he had grown to tolerate.

"No," Keith stood with confidence that the Paladins had seen ever since his return, "we're going to rescue them. Tonight."

* * *

Allura traced her fingers over her circlet, a lump in her throat as her finger dipped into where the small crystal once sat.

"Oh Father, never have I missed Altea more than I do now…"

The princess took a deep breath to calm her self and rid her eyes of those nasty tears. She nearly choked on air as she heard someone fall and yelp right outside her door.

She ran to the door, stopping right before she opened it to make herself look presentable. She was already dressed for bed, but that did not mean she had to look like one of Coran's old pirate buddies.

"Lance?" Clutching her sweater, she knelt down to the Paladin, "Are you alright? What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, uh," he rubbed his head, cursing his luck. He _loved_ alone time with the Princess, but he was in a huge hurry and already running late, "sorry! I so did not mean to wake you up or anything."

"I wasn't asleep just yet," she helped him stand then asked again, "What are you doing out here so late? And in full armor?"

The scene was familiar. And somewhere in her heart she was hoping for another lie that was poorly put together and even worse in its execution. But she wasn't looking at the same Red Paladin she was all that time ago.

Not wanting to be on her bad side, Lance opted for the truth, "Hunk, Keith and I are going to free the prisoners who are trapped."

A panic rushed over her being, "I thought Shiro and Commander Iverson were preparing a team for that?"

"They are," Lance kept his eyes on the ground, "but Keith thinks they need to keep their focus on the people who need help rebuilding."

Allura's expression never changed, so Lance kept rambling, "Besides! Voltron can handle it! Red, Yellow, and Black have enough room combined for all of them!

"This… was Keith's idea?"

The Red Paladin in blue armor could literally feel his knees quiver in fear. Allura and Keith had done nothing but fight for _weeks_.

"Y-Yes?"

"Where is he?"

Lance had never been so scared to answer a woman in his life. Her eyes were practically throwing dagger at him, forcing the answer out of him.

"He- He's with the lions."

He barely finished speaking before she took off. Her silver hair free and flying behind her. Her steps leaving a resounding sound in the empty halls of the Garrison dorms.

"Hey man, you ready to go? Huh?" Hunk left his room right across from Alllura's, "Where is she going?"

Gulping, Lance said, "To find Keith."

"Did you tell her what we're doing?"

"I had no choice! You want her to kill me for lying to her?"

"Oh boy," Hunk crossed his arms, "Let's uh… let's wait a few minutes. To let them talk."

Normally Lance would complain about those two being alone together, but for once he wasn't jealous of Keith at all, "Agreed."

* * *

"Hey buddy," Keith ruffled the fur of his cosmic best friend, "you ready to go?"

The wolf nuzzled his nose against his master's hand, licking it in comfort.

"Go find Lance and Hunk for me, we need to get going."

After a happy whine and tail wag, the canine teleported away. At the same moment Allura burst into the hangar.

Keith internally pulled his hair out at her facial expression. He was so tired of fighting with her. And by the angry look shining in her eyes, it seemed that was her only agenda currently.

"What's this I head about you going to rescue prisoners? Alone."

"I won't be alone," _How_ did she find out?! "Hunk and Lance are going to be with me."

"It is far too dangerous for the three of you to go without help. Does Shiro know of your plan?"

"I didn't tell anyone. I was hoping to help. If we need help, I know I can get someone to us fast enough."

"There could still be Galra generals lurking around," Allura stepped closer to him, but still keeping a safe distance, "foot soldiers and Sentries could also be waiting on a recuse team just to ambush them."

"Its been weeks since we defeated Sendak," Keith growled out, "I'm sure they know by now that they lost."

"That doesn't matter to the Galra. All they care about is victory or death. They might even know who sent that Robeast with the Altean inside."

"It has to be Lotor and Haggar, somehow."

Allura flinched at hearing that despicable man's name.

"Besides, the three of us can handle it. We have out weapons and lions. Those people have to be saved."

"Yes," she took yet another step towards him, "a plan is already in place for it. You shouldn't go."

Keith stood his ground, crossing his arms with an exasperated sigh, "Why wait when we can save them now?"

"Because it's dangerous! What if something happens to Lance? Or Hunk? What would you do?"

"I'm the best pilot the Garrison has ever had," he ignored the twinge of pain at her not even bothering to ask what if he was hurt, "if something happens I can handle it. I'll make sure to bring back all the prisoners, Hunk, and especially Lance to you."

Allura's eye twitched, "It would make me feel better if you didn't go at all."

"If we free those people now the Garrison can work towards rebuilding their homes. The Galra came here because of us! We have to do something other than stand around and wait for things to happen!"

Keith turned away from her to look at the Black lion, he held his arms tighter to his chest, hoping this would end soon. He didn't know how much more he could take.

"You are the leader of Voltron!" her voice echoed in the room causing everything to rattle, "You can't just send your team into dangerous situations because you are impatient!"

Keith didn't budge, refusing to change his mind.

"I thought you had changed," her fist clenched, angry tears filled her cotton candy eyes, "I thought you had learned how important it was to stay together and work as a team. I thought you finally accepted your roll… Clearly I was wrong."

She waited, but he did not turn to face her.

"You are still the same selfish person as before. Flying head first to your death, uncaring about those you drag with you."

He flinched, he was ready to defend himself when she said…

"Just like a Galra."

The Paladin of the Black Lion twisted on his feet to face her, refusing to accept the pain that came with the accusation and the tears threatening to fall, "If the Galra are so bad then why did you allow yourself to get so close to Lotor?! How is he any different?!"

Allura tried to answer, but the dam had broke and Keith wasn't going to stop it.

"All I'm doing is trying to save peoples lives! I'm trying to act like a Paladin! But you keep throwing in my face that I'm part Galra, the race that destroyed yours and so many other planets! The ones who took over Earth! SO WHAT! I'm proud of it! I'm proud of the parents I have! I wouldn't change anything!"

He was panting when he was done, tears cascading down his cheeks. His eyes had even turned yellow for a few seconds.

"But no matter what I do… that's all you'll see…"

He stormed towards her, standing directly in front of her. Allura's face was contorted in pain and anger, tears flowing from her eyes.

"I'm going on this mission. Don't try to stop me."

The scene was familiar. He hoped against hope that it played out just like before. He wanted her to join him.

But it didn't. Allura took a few steps away from him. Her eyes never leaving his.

"Fine! Maybe it would be best if you didn't return at all!"

She spun around without waiting for a response. She marched past Lance, Hunk, and Kosmo without even realizing they had been eavesdropping.

The Red and Yellow Paladins eyes were wider than they had ever been before. They both wished that hadn't heard a thing.

Kosmo was the first to enter the room, running to Keith. Hunk went in next with Lance not far behind, they only saw Keith's back. His head was facing down, every so often his shoulders would twitch.

"Keith?" Lance called, "Everything go to go, buddy?"

"Yeah," his voice was low and rough. They could barely hear him, "let's go."

Hunk watched him go with worry all over his face. Then he looked at Lance. He was worried that Lance would be angry at Keith for yelling at Allura since their friendship had been evolving lately.

"Oh… OK," Oddly enough, Lance was more concerned about Keith and his relationship with Allura than himself. It seemed like those two had more feelings about the other then Lance realized.

"Come on guys," Keith's voice called from Black, "we need to hurry."

They glanced at each other before heading to their respective lions.

Moments later the Black lion, Yellow lion, and Red lion left the makeshift hangar and disappeared into the night.

Allura watched them leave. Tears still leaving trails down her drenched cheeks. She shook her head and started towards her assigned room. She tried and failed to make herself forget the horrible words she directed towards someone she would never hurt… again.

* * *

Let me know what you think so I can get started on part 2!


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